OvercomingBarriers: "What is Ours to Do"Theresa Jones will lead a workshop on overcoming barriers to employment for men of color on July 29. The session is designed for all organizations, both nonprofit and for-profit, to take away strategies that they can implement. Click here for details and to register.

By Molly Willms, NPC Guest Blogger

Theresa Jones had been hearing about the high rate of unemployment among black men in Milwaukee for years before she fully understoodall of the contributing factors to this problem.

Jones is the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Strategies at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, a large nonprofit healthcaresystemin Southeast Wisconsin.

The rate of black male unemploymentin Milwaukee, disproportionately higher than the corresponding rate for white males, has also not improved at the same rate, due to myriad factors, Jones said.

Black males are also disproportionately incarcerated in Wisconsin, and upon release can have trouble finding work, for example.

Jones said many do not indicate a criminal background for fearthatit will disqualify them for a position – a move that is guaranteed to cost them if the employerdoesa background check and findsthat they havefalsified their application.

“Most employerswon’t turnsomeone with a criminal backgroundaway just because there isa criminal conviction,” Jonessaid, adding that thetiming,relevance of the offense and an applicant’s history since theconviction are generally taken into consideration.

Transportationis also an issue, as many jobsare availableinoutlying areas.Strategies to improve transportation to these areas are being worked on, Jones said. However, there still remain a number of otherbarriersto obtaining employment likegetting and keeping a driver’s license.These struggles can be married to a company’s need to fill positions thatmaysit open for long periods of time.

“Most organizations hire through an online process. Jobsare postedand thenthe employer waitsforapplicantstoapply,Jones said. “To reallybegin to increase hiring, it requires more than that. We have to do more outreach and partnership with other community organizations, schools and colleges, workforce development programs, etc. to identify talent in this population.

Specifically, everyone benefits from “corporate and community responsibility for being intentional about hiring men of color,” Jones said.

The workshop, on July 29, willdiscuss the challenges and identifyaprocessfor conducting an internal analysis. Jones willencourage employers of all types to examine the employment side of the equation in theirownorganization: asking questions such as, in what capacity are minoritymen employed in our company? At what level? How much are they paidin comparison to others? How many are currently employed here? For how long?

“Do the math,” as Jones calls it. “Take a look at your own organizationandyouwill, unfortunately,come to understand how that contributes to what community unemployment looks like.”

The workshop will also discuss the employers’ findings and strategies to meaningfully impact the black male unemployment rate, such as working with local training programs, schools, workforce development programsetc.to fill vacant positions.

"It is important to me to ensure that individualsattending the workshopwalk awaywith strategies that they can implement,"Jones said.

Jones will also address the rolethatracism can play in black male unemployment and the “business imperative” of hiring a diverse workforce in all sectors.

This issue is a serious problem within thiscommunity as a whole, which iswhy all employers need towork togetherto address it.

It can’t just be left up to a single individual employer, Jones said.“We canhave greater impactcollectively.”